Metal can.



No. mazes. Patented Aug. 5,1902.

u. BRADLEY.

METAL CAN.

(Application filed Dec, 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet l.

E I w;

JLN. BRADLEY.

METAL CAN.

(Application filed Dec. 14, 1901.)

Patented Aug. 5, I902.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

me STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. BRADLEY, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

METAL CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,296, dated August 5, 19 02.

Application filed December 14, 1901. Serial No. 85,908; (No model.)

T0 to whont (It may concern.-

Be'it known that I, JAMES N. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Metal Can, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to metal cans, and more particularly to one adapted to contain liquid glue, although it will be understood that the said can can also be used for containing any other liquid or solid.

As generally constructed glue cans are formed with a contracted opening in order to prevent too great an exposure of the glue to the atmosphere, and so far as I am aware this contracted opening has usually been surrounded by a neck covered by a cap or closed by means of a stopper, the said neck projecting above the body of the can, thereby preventing cans being packed one upon another.

The object of my invention, therefore, is to avoid these difficulties and provide a metal can which shall be particularly adapted for containing liquid glue, which shall have the contracted central opening, which is normally closed by means ofa plug,the entire can being covered by a fiat top, thereby enabling cans to be packed one upon the other either while being shipped or for display purposes upon the shelf.

The invention therefore consists, essentially, in providing a partition within the can adjacent to its upper end, said partition hav-' ing a central opening in which fits the plug or stopper and the flat metal top or cap fitting upon the upper edge of the can and adapted to hold the plug or stopper in place.

The invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of combi-' nation, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating a can constructed in accordance with my invention, the plug or stopper and the top .or cap being arranged in their closed positions. Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view, the plug or stopper and the brush being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a Fig. a is a detail perspective view illustrating the portion of the can. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the plug or stopper having the brush connected thereto. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are sectional views illustrating slight modifications.

In carrying outmy invention I employ a can A, having a Hat metal cap or cover B. In the drawings I have illustrated this can and cover as cylindrical; but it will be understood that t-he said can can be made any other shape desired. A partition 0 is arranged within the can, preferably adjacent to its up per end, said partition having a central circular opening D, in which fits the plug or,

stopper E, andin practice I prefer to have the handle F of the brush G extend over the said plug or stopper, as most clearly shown, theupper end of the said handle being substantially upon a line with the upper edge of the can when the plug or stopperis properly inserted in the central openingofthe'partt tion, as most clearly shown in the drawings.

The plug or stopper E is preferablymade tapering or wedge shaped in order to fit snugly within the central opening of the partition, and in Fig. 9 I have shown a slightlymodified construction of plug or stopper E, the said plug or stopper being essentially spherical in shape. In Fig. 8 the plug or stopper is formed with an integral handle E and the handle of the brush does not extend entirely through the plug or stopper, as indicated in the other figures, and in the construction shown in Fig. 8 the handle portion of the plug or stopper is of such height that its upper end will rest on a line with the top of the can when the plug or stopper is seated in the partition, so that the top or cover of the cancan be firmly seated and bear upon the handle of the said plug or stopper, thereby aiding in holding the said plug or stopper within the partition.

The partition C is preferably, though not necessarily,dished orconcavoconvex in form, the concaved'side being arranged uppermost, as most clearly shown, and this partition ma be securely connected tothe can in any suitable manner. In practice I prefer to construct the partition with an annular flange C, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 9, and this flange is connected or secured to the can by soldering or seaming, as

ICO

preferred. The flange O is preferably formed with an outwardly-projecting annular crimp or corrugation 0 which is adapted to fit into a corresponding corrugation 0 produced in the can adjacent to its upper end, the partition with its surrounding flange being forced down into the can and locked therein by the corrugation or crimp C and this crimping, corrugating, seaming, or beading may be accomplishcd either before or after the partition is located in the can. By means of this construction the partition can be securely connected to the can without the use of solder.

In Fig. 6 the can is shown devoid of the crimp or corrugation C and the crimp or head C rests upon the upper edge of the can,

and the top B of the can is fitted upon the top edge of the flange C; but the coaction between the partition, plug, brush-handle, and cover remains exactly the same.

In Fig. 7 the upper edge of the flange C is flared slightly outward, as shown at 0 said flared portion being adapted to fit into the crimp or corrugation 0 produced in the can, as heretofore described. In this case, however, the flange C' is only about one-half the height of the flange O illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6.

In Fig. 8 the partition is indicated as being made without the flange O, the outer edge of the partition being sprung into the crimp or corrugation C and the concave-convex formation or" the partition will serve to securely hold the partition in place.

If desired,a small quantity of solder may be employed to secure the partition, although I do not consider it necessary to use the solder in this construction.

In Fig. 9 the can is made without any crimp or corrugation, and likewise the flange of the partition, said partition being inserted into the can and the flange secured to the sides of the said can by soldering.

In Fig. 10 a still further modification is shown, in which the upper edges of the can are turned slightly inwardly, as shown at A, and the partition 0, which in that case is substantially in the form of a funnel, rests upon the said inwardly-turned edges and is secured thereto by soldering, and the cap B fits over the joint, as most clearly represented in the drawings.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly cheap and simple construction of can which is particularly adapted for holding liquid glue, as the contracted opening will prevent any considerable portion of the glue being exposed to the action of the air. Furthermore, by having the contracted opening closed by means of a plug which carries a brush the said plug or stopper will probably be returned to its proper position, thereby closing the opening and preserving the glue, whereas in cans as now constructed the contracted opening quickly becomes coated with hardened glue, so that the replacing of the cap is almost impossible, and as a consequence the cap is rarely replaced and the glue within thecan soon becomes hardened to such an extent as to render it unfit for use. By having the partition concavo-convex in form, with the concaved side uppermost, any surplus glue which may happen to drop upon the said partition will run down through the central opening back into the can. The top or cover not only serves to provide a flat top for a can, but also serves to hold the plug or stopper within the partition, inasmuch as the said top or cap bears upon the handle con= nected to the plug or stopper. The advan-' tages of a can constructed as herein shown and described are therefore apparent to every one skilled in the art to which it relates.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A can having a partition immovablysecured therein adjacent to its upper end, said partition being dished or concavo-convex and provided with an opening the concaved side being arranged uppermost.

2. A can having a partition arranged therein adjacent to the upper end, said partition having a central opening and formed with means for securing it immovably in the can.

3. A can having a partition immovably secured therein adjacent to its upper end, said partition being dished or concavo-convex and having an opening at its center the concaved face being arranged uppermost, and provided with means at its outer edge for connection to a can.

4. A can having a partition immovably arranged therein adjacent to its upper end, said partition having a central circular opening, said partition also having an annular flange by means of which it is connected to the can, substantially as described.

5. A can having a partition arranged therein adjacent to its upper end, said partition having a central circular opening, the partition also having an annular flange, the flange and can being corrugated or crimped for the purpose of securing the partition within the can.

JAMES N. BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

OHAs. E. BROOK, CLARENCE SHAW. 

